We picked up three stray cavers hitch hiking along the M1 to swell our ranks in view of a three-pronged attack on Kingsdale. On Saturday we visited mighty King, pernicious Vespers and damp Rowten. Sunday saw a jaunt to Sunset Hole and Great Douk in wintry conditions.

We return to the Mendips for our annual baptism in Sump 1. Two teams in Swildon's on Saturday, and one in Longwood Swallet. The SMCC has a fantastic new squeeze machine which we combined with a table to create our own speleolympics in the evening. Sunday saw a trip to GB and another Swildons round trip (as well as an expedition to a tea shop).

A week long caving extravaganza. The first day exhausted our rope store with 5 caves rigged on Kingsdale; Vespers, Simpsons', Swinsto, Aquamole and Jingling. We fully explored Leck Fell with visits to Box Head, Notts 1, Lost Johns' and Death's Head. We also visited Little Hull, Gaping Ghyll and various trips through Easegill. And of course we had our annual rescue techniques training sesh.

A classic exchange to Notts 1 on Saturday, including a classic "look around in the 5m vis fog for an hour until you find the entrance". And everyone managed to exit a different way to how they entered, a true exchange. On Sunday many went to Notts 2 for a bimble up the stream and a few went to Lost Johns' for some rigging practice.

The 2016 surveys from this years expedition to Slovenia are completed! Find them along with a brief summary of our findings (full report to follow later) here.

{!center}(/caving/FILES/expeditions/slovenia/slov2016/2016-SistemMigovec-ExtendedElevation.png, /rcc/caving/slovenia/articles/2016-07-08-slovenia.html)

Our second trip of the year, and in a break from tradition we stayed at the Bradford Pothole Club's hut in Brackenbottom, lovingly known as the Dump. We did the classic Flood/Bar exchange in Gaping Ghyll, with a splinter team to Little Hull, and on Sunday one trip went to Hunt pot, whilst the others tried to do a Sell Gill exchange.

The first day trip in a decade (maybe?). We went to the Mendips where most people managed to get beyond Sump 1 in Swildon's Hole in the short time we had. All in all a successful and enjoyable venture.

First SRT trip of the year. A break in the apparently ceaseless rain and snow up North allowed us a great tour of Kingsdale on Saturday, with groups visiting Bull Pot, Jingling, and Aquamole. On Sunday those not broken by Saturday caving (and the evenings games) had a splash up Valley Entrance.

The second freshers trip to Wales. Several long trips into Aggy, Saturday and Sunday, and brief visits to Eggy combined with a debaucherous evening of Pumpkin carving make for an excellent weekend.

An excellent turn out for the first trip of the year, with lots of new, excited cavers! There were several trips in Aggy on Saturday and again on Sunday.